▼ ABSTRACT
GROWTH INCREMENT ANALYSIS OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL
FRESHWATER MUSSELS FROM INTERIOR NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA
by
Deanna M. Commons
Master of Arts in Anthropology
California State University, Chico
Spring 2010
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of a shell
growth increment measurement technique that was developed by James C. Chatters for
use on modern and archaeological freshwater mussel specimens. Freshwater mussels
have been an important food resource for Native American groups in Northern California
for thousands of years. The freshwater mussels uncovered at archaeological sites
can be used to estimate seasonality. While four other shell growth increment measurement
methods have been developed and used more widely, these techniques lack applicability
to archaeological specimens and result in inaccurate estimations.
To evaluate Chatters??? increment measurement technique, I applied the
method to a sample of modern freshwater mussels. This was to determine if the collection
date of the sample of mussels aligned with the results from the application of the
x
technique. As the results were statistically similar, Chatters??? increment measurement
technique was determined an accurate means for assessing seasonality.
This technique was then applied to a collection of archaeological freshwater
mussels from two rockshelter sites in northern California in order to assess the applicability
of the method on archaeological specimens, as well as to determine season of
mussel harvest and site habitation. The results further validated the accuracy of Chatters???
increment measurement technique on archaeological mussels as well as demonstrated
prehistoric mussel procurement to be almost exclusively limited to the late summer
and fall months. Season of site habitation also coincided with this data, although
additional seasons of habitation were also possible and additional faunal material must
be examined to gain a better estimation.
Through the analysis of both the modern and archaeological samples of
freshwater mussels, Chatters??? increment measurement technique was determined an accurate
and reliability means to estimate seasonality. While the technique lacks widespread
publication and adoption, it has the potential to greatly benefit both the field of
seasonality estimates and archaeology.
Advisors/Committee Members: Bayham, Frank E (advisor).

▼ ABSTRACT
THE EVOLUTION OF COFFEE MARKETS FOR SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT: A HONDURAN COOPERATIVE???S
EXPERIENCE WITH FAIR TRADE
by
Erin Sue Smith
Master of Arts in Anthropology
California State University, Chico
Spring 2010
This thesis explores the barriers coffee farmers of Cooperativa Copan in
Western Honduras face in effectively participating in the Fair Trade market, as well as
the opportunities Fair Trade offers in improving the conditions of these farmers and the
environment. It also highlights the political and economic relationships that constitute
the global coffee industry and the many links between points of production and consumption
along the coffee value chain. Fair Trade has become an important alternative
trade strategy in the world economy as it confronts the power inequalities and exploitations
within the North-South trade relations. Despite the limitations of Fair Trade as
both a movement and an alternative market for Cooperativa Copan, this research suggests
that Fair Trade has proven to be a key contributor to sustainable
income- generating strategies and socio-economic stability among rural, small-scale
farmers in Copan. In the case of Cooperativa Copan, access to Fair Trade and organic
markets was made possible by the development support from NGOs and Fair Trade
networks in the region.
Advisors/Committee Members: Loker, William M (advisor).

▼ ABSTRACT
ON THE VALIDITY OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SHELLFISH METRICS
IN COASTAL CALIFORNIA
by
Arran M. Bell
Master of Arts in Anthropology
California State University, Chico
Fall 2009
Shellfish middens represent highly visible, ubiquitous areas for interpreting
prehistoric forager behavior. In California one of the most common species used in
shell midden analysis is the California mussel (Mytilus californianus). The California
mussel is of interest to archaeologists for two main reasons, one is their proportionate
contribution to the prehistoric diet and the other is the effect of human predation on
shellfish populations. Impacts of human exploitation of ancient marine ecosystems are
studied by tracking changes in size or age composition of targeted resources. Unfortunately,
most archaeological reconstructions are forced to use fragmentary remains. To
compensate for this, a template was developed for use in size reconstructions by matching
fragmentary specimens to drawn size classes. This study examines the basic assumptions
on which the template operates and tests its precision level in a series of experiments using
pre-measured, fragmented remains of California mussels.
Metrical analysis on modern shells was used to test the assumption that the
basal angle of the hinge is correlated to shell length and to assess the degree of fragmentation
appropriate for template use. Experimental template data was generated by
crushing pre-measured shells and conducting a series of blind tests with student volunteers.
Results from this study have indicated that the template is an imprecise and inconsistent
method for determining shell length from fragmentary remains. Shell fragments
must be over 2 cm for accurate use and the template operates on low levels of
repeatability and precision. Application of a more precise method for reconstructing
shell length would benefit the field by allowing more exact measurements of highly
fragmented remains.
Advisors/Committee Members: Bayham, Frank E (advisor).

▼ ABSTRACT
AN EXPERIENCE-CENTERED APPROACH TO EASTERN
MEDITERRANEAN FOUNDLING NARRATIVES
by
?? Tanya Kieselbach 2011
Master of Arts in Anthropology
California State University, Chico
Fall 2011
This thesis examines aspects of the relationship between folklore and social history, specifically the divergences of these narratives, from the primary theoretical perspective of Historical Particularism, as proposed by Franz Boas. The narratives and the socio-historical context explored in this study include foundling narratives and social histories of the Eastern Mediterranean and Southwest Asia.
The research questions asked in this study are these: ???are differential social histories at the root of divergences in traditional narratives???? and ???can the experience-centered approach to folklore, as developed by David Hufford and William Dewan, be applied to narratives that emerged in antiquity????
In order to answer these question, the study first compares foundling narratives of ancient Greece and Rome, Southwest Asia, and Dynastic Egypt with their
respective social histories, and then compares the results of the first step in this study with each other.
Agreement between socio-cultural practices and themes expressed in narratives confirms the validity of the narrator???s experiences as a force in the emergence of traditional narratives. Discernable divergences in, both, socio-cultural practices and narratives in a comparison between the three regions involved in this study confirms social history as a factor in the development of divergences of traditional narratives and the appropriateness of Historical Particularism as a theoretical approach to folklore.
An important implication of this study is that it points to the value of folklore as a potential information source on socio-cultural practices and experiences.
Advisors/Committee Members: Collins, William (advisor).

▼ ABSTRACT
GIS USE IN THE REINTERPRETATION OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL
MUSEUM COLLECTIONS: THE COOMBS SITE,
BOULDER, UTAH
by
Amanda van Woert
Master of Arts in Anthropology
Museum Studies Option
California State University, Chico
Fall 2011
Archaeological collections held in museums are underutilized in current archaeological
research. The process developed in this thesis will allow researchers to reenvision
these older museum collections so that they may be incorporated into modern
research via GIS. To demonstrate this process a case study was developed using the ceramic
collection of the Coombs Site in Boulder, Utah, where associated archaeological
records have been maintained along side the artifacts in the collections of the Anasazi
State Park Museum.
Advisors/Committee Members: Fox, Georgia L (advisor).

▼ ABSTRACT
IDENTIFYING TRACKWAYS USING STEP LENGTH: BEHAVIORAL
INFERENCES FROM JAGUAR CAVE, TENNESSEE
by
Kyle Aidan McCormick
Master of Arts in Anthropology
California State University, Chico
Spring 2010
Prehistoric behavior can be inferred through ephemeral forms of archaeological
evidence including foot impressions. Traditionally, foot impressions have been
analyzed metrically and morphologically to provide information about the individuals
who created them, such as sex and age, and physical abnormalities of the foot. Foot impressions
can also be analyzed as a group by examining the relationship of foot impressions
to one other and the surrounding environment. In some instances, it is possible to
track routes taken by prehistoric people. Foot impressions in a route form a trackway.
The distance between two consecutive foot impressions of a trackway is step length. By
analyzing step lengths, it is possible to infer the locomotory pattern and behavior that
created the trackway. This study identifies trackways of prehistoric foot impressions
found in a cave passage in Jaguar Cave, Tennessee, and assesses the behavior that created
these trackways.
x
Jaguar Cave is a complex cave system in north-central Tennessee. An hour and
a half travel into the cave, in a dead-end passage named Aborigine Avenue, 274 foot
impressions were discovered by modern cavers in 1976. Radiocarbon dates from associated
charcoal suggested these impressions were created by prehistoric cavers around
4500 B.P. Previous research on the number and distribution of inbound and outbound
foot impressions indicated these prehistoric cavers explored the cave passage as they
entered and then made a more direct and expedient exit. This study examines that assertion.
Sixteen trackways are identified from the Jaguar Cave foot impressions. On
average, inbound step lengths are longer and more variable than outbound step lengths.
Also, inbound foot impression lengths are longer than outbound.
The majority of trackways are located in the middle of Aborigine Avenue
where surface level and consistency are uniform. This uniformity implies that surface
properties do not affect locomotory patterns that created the inbound versus the outbound
step lengths. Furthermore, longer inbound foot impressions and observations of
Aborigine Avenue suggest that different individuals created the inbound and outbound
trackways. More variable inbound step lengths and more inbound foot impressions than
outbound (150 inbound and 123 outbound), however, demonstrate the individuals that
created the inbound trackways took more steps and stopped more often than those who
created the outbound trackways. These observations are consistent with exploring. This
study supports the assertion that prehistoric cavers explored as they entered Aborigine
xi
Avenue and then made a more direct and expedient exit. This study suggests that the
earliest cave trips by humans in the southeastern United States were exploratory.
Advisors/Committee Members: Willey, P (advisor).

► ABSTRACT A STUDY OF THE ACCURACY AND RELIABILITY OF SEX ESTIMATION METHODS OF THE HUMAN PELVIS by Brenna Kay Blanchard Master of Arts in Anthropology…
(more)

▼ ABSTRACT
A STUDY OF THE ACCURACY AND RELIABILITY OF SEX
ESTIMATION METHODS OF THE HUMAN PELVIS
by
Brenna Kay Blanchard
Master of Arts in Anthropology
California State University, Chico
Spring 2010
Sex determination is an important first step in the development of a biological
profile in human osteology, as methods to estimate other components of the profile
depend on sex. The pelvis is the most sexually dimorphic anatomical region due to obstetrical
requirements. This thesis tests sex estimation methods for the pelvis from three
sources to determine rates of reliability and accuracy. The sex estimation methods recommended
in Buikstra and Ubelaker, the Bruzek method, and the Murphy method were
evaluated using remains curated at the California State University ??? Chico Human Identification
Laboratory and the William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection at the University
of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Intra- and interobserver error studies were performed to test reliability between
two observations by the author and between the author and a second observer.
xiii
Intra-rater reliability was high for most traits and combinations of traits. The opposite
was the case for inter-rater reliability. Concordance was assessed using Cohen???s kappa
and paired t-tests.
All traits, combinations of traits, and sex determinations for the Buikstra and
Ubelaker and Bruzek methods were statistically significant when compared with biological
sex. The Murphy method was statistically significant between the sexes. The
morphological methods were evaluated using Pearson???s Chi-square and the Murphy
method was assessed using independent samples t-tests. The Bruzek method categorized
a high percentage of individuals as indeterminate. A revised version of the Bruzek
method was proposed, tested, and resulted in a high correct classification rate and low
error rate.
A movement toward standardization is occurring in the forensic sciences,
which includes finding error rates for identification methods. Validation studies are important
for the future of the forensic sciences and the process of standardization because
they establish the accuracy, reliability and error rates of previously published methods.
Advisors/Committee Members: Bartelink, Eric J (advisor).

Blanchard, B. (2010). A Study of the Accuracy and Reliability of Sex Estimation Methods of the Human Pelvis
. (Thesis). California State University – Chico. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10211.4/188

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):

Blanchard, Brenna. “A Study of the Accuracy and Reliability of Sex Estimation Methods of the Human Pelvis
.” 2010. Thesis, California State University – Chico. Accessed March 19, 2018.
http://hdl.handle.net/10211.4/188.

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Blanchard B. A Study of the Accuracy and Reliability of Sex Estimation Methods of the Human Pelvis
. [Internet] [Thesis]. California State University – Chico; 2010. [cited 2018 Mar 19].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10211.4/188.

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Council of Science Editors:

Blanchard B. A Study of the Accuracy and Reliability of Sex Estimation Methods of the Human Pelvis
. [Thesis]. California State University – Chico; 2010. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10211.4/188

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

▼ ABSTRACT
TEMPORAL PATTERNS OF SKELETAL TRAUMA AMONG NATIVE
AMERICANS IN PREHISTORIC CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
by
Nikki Ann Willits
Master of Arts in Anthropology
California State University, Chico
Fall 2010
This thesis examines temporal patterns of traumatic injury among the prehistoric inhabitants of central California to ascertain whether they correspond to hypothesized behavioral changes associated with resource intensification. Debates concerning the relative importance of various faunal and floral species to the diet of prehistoric Californians have continued for decades, as various models of subsistence have gained precedence. Particular debate has centered around the importance of acorns and their subsequent effects on the culture and biology of native peoples. Whether or not the acorn is the lynchpin of the argument, archaeological and bioarchaeological data indicate a change in subsistence patterns during the Late Holocene that had consequences for population levels, mobility, and health.
This research utilizes patterns of traumatic injury in the form of skeletal fractures and embedded projectiles to test models of resource intensification and the
xii
division of labor during prehistory. Changes in mobility, resource availability, and social organization due to intensification and a sedentary settlement pattern suggest males and females should both show an increase in the prevalence of trauma through time due to both violent and accidental injuries. Furthermore, males should be more likely to exhibit injuries based on modern clinical and bioarchaeological data. The sexual division of labor also likely became more defined through time with decreased mobility and reliance on a variety of more stable food sources.
Of the 176 individuals examined for this research, 36 show evidence of 40 traumatic injuries, including 38 fractures and two embedded projectiles. Comparisons of trauma prevalence by time period, sex, and anatomical element do not support the expectations of resource intensification models. No significant temporal patterns are found in overall trauma for the sample or between males and females. Both sexes show a relatively consistent level of trauma through time. There is no anatomical difference in injury location between males and females, except for trauma to the ulna.
Females show a 9:1 ratio of ulnar trauma compared to males. The age distribution and risk for ulnar trauma is greatest during youth and young adulthood, when accident is the most common cause of skeletal injury. Temporal patterns show an increase in ulnar fracture between the Early and Middle Period, followed by an absence in the Late Period. This pattern is inconsistent with expectations of resource intensification during the time; however, they do suggest a temporal change in female activity. Further research is needed to test more direct relationships between trauma and activity patterns among prehistoric peoples of central California through time.
Advisors/Committee Members: Bartelink, Eric J (advisor).

▼ ABSTRACT
INTEGRATING CULTURALLY SENSITIVE AND BEST MUSEUM
PRACTICES AT TWO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA MUSEUMS:
THE PHOEBE A. HEARST MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY
AND THE KARUK PEOPLE???S CENTER
by
?? H??l??ne Rouvier 2010
Master of Arts in Anthropology
Museum Studies Option
California State University, Chico
Fall 2010
Contemporary museums are at a crossroads. Challenged by internal and
external critiques, they are struggling to reinvent themselves and to remain relevant in a
sociopolitical context of resource depletion, global conflict, and issues of human and civil
rights. Issues of social and economic justice, and their accompanying legal mandates, are
fueling demands of indigenous and source communities to be part of museum decisionmaking
and discourse.
This thesis focuses a lens on two museum experiences within the theoretical
framework of museums as ???contested arenas??? in which cultures come into contact,
collide, and negotiate difference. Such ???arenas??? or forums function as ???borderlands???
where the agency of subjugated knowledges and peoples are acknowledged, and where
the figurative ???peripheries??? of the underrepresented help to redefine the ???center??? of the
dominant cultural paradigms.
Two museums were researched within this framework, using the hypothesis
that both would demonstrate this collision of contesting voices, and would also be
participating in a process of negotiation and shifting paradigms. Both museums house
Native American collections, both facilities are in Northern California. They are
dissimilar in other areas. The Phoebe Hearst Museum is a large, established university
museum in the urban San Francisco Bay area; the Karuk People???s Center is a smaller, and
a younger tribal museum in a remote region of Siskiyou County.
Research was limited to collections management ??? in particular the
incorporation of culturally sensitive protocols into standard ???best museum practices.???
Surveys in both settings provided both quantitative and qualitative data; follow up
interviews were completed with those interested. Participation was voluntary and
respondents could request anonymity. The Phoebe Hearst survey was designed both as
community outreach and to gather information for internal procedural review ??? it was
provided to over 200 tribal and mainstream museums, and to source communities. A
similar survey was given to interested Karuk community members.
Two case studies are not representative of either mainstream or tribal
museums, but their unique experiences reflected the disconnect that continues in the
museum world. While this study was designed to document an ???arena??? (however
contested and uncomfortable) where communities converse, what exists is more
xi
boundary than borderland. Collections management at the Karuk People???s Center is
negotiating traditional and science-based stewardship, the result of recruiting museum
professionals trained in ???best museum practices??? but also willing to challenge entrenched
assumptions and the status…
Advisors/Committee Members: Fox, Georgia (advisor).

► This study evaluates the potential of petroglyph manufacture and the resulting imagery as a costly signal by analyzing how well it conforms to the conditions…
(more)

▼ This study evaluates the potential of petroglyph manufacture and the resulting
imagery as a costly signal by analyzing how well it conforms to the conditions of
Costly Signaling Theory (CST), particularly to the assumption of costliness. CST attempts
to explain how seemingly wasteful behavioral and morphological signals can
evolve provided that these signals honestly advertise the underlying qualities of the signaler
to an observer. One way that honesty can be ensured is if the signal imposes some
sort of cost on the signaler. To ascertain the costs associated with petroglyph manufacture,
an experiment was conducted using open-circuit indirect calorimetry to obtain accurate
measurements of energetic expenditure. Subjects created a number of standardized
petroglyph images using stone tools while instrumented to a metabolic cart to measure oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production, from which energetic expenditure
is derived. Two methods of petroglyph production were tested, including indirect
pecking and direct pecking. A thorough analysis of the results of this experiment,
followed by a brief examination of other factors that may contribute to energetic expenditure,
indicates that petroglyph manufacture does not meet the costliness condition of
CST. The results also indicate that there is no significant difference in the energetic expenditure
of petroglyph production using the direct pecking method versus the indirect
pecking method. Additionally, a mathematical technique was developed that can be
used by researchers to estimate the energy expended during the production of any given
petroglyph encountered in the field.
Advisors/Committee Members: Bayham, Frank E (advisor).

Flaherty, L. L. (2013). Rock art manufacture as a signal: an experiment and evaluation of the costliness of petroglyph production
. (Thesis). California State University – Chico. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10211.4/532

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):

Flaherty, Leanna L. “Rock art manufacture as a signal: an experiment and evaluation of the costliness of petroglyph production
.” 2013. Thesis, California State University – Chico. Accessed March 19, 2018.
http://hdl.handle.net/10211.4/532.

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

MLA Handbook (7th Edition):

Flaherty, Leanna L. “Rock art manufacture as a signal: an experiment and evaluation of the costliness of petroglyph production
.” 2013. Web. 19 Mar 2018.

Vancouver:

Flaherty LL. Rock art manufacture as a signal: an experiment and evaluation of the costliness of petroglyph production
. [Internet] [Thesis]. California State University – Chico; 2013. [cited 2018 Mar 19].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10211.4/532.

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Council of Science Editors:

Flaherty LL. Rock art manufacture as a signal: an experiment and evaluation of the costliness of petroglyph production
. [Thesis]. California State University – Chico; 2013. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10211.4/532

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

California State University – Chico

11.
Collins, Gregory E.Bone Fragmentation as an Indicator of Subsistence Stress in the North Coast Ranges of California
.

► ABSTRACT BONE FRAGMENTATION AS AN INDICATOR OF SUBSISTENCE STRESS IN THE NORTH COAST RANGES OF CALIFORNIA by Gregory E. Collins Master of Arts in Anthropology…
(more)

▼ ABSTRACT
BONE FRAGMENTATION AS AN INDICATOR OF SUBSISTENCE
STRESS IN THE NORTH COAST RANGES OF CALIFORNIA
by
Gregory E. Collins
Master of Arts in Anthropology
California State University, Chico
Fall 2010
Animal fat, whether in meat or in bones, plays an important role in the diet
of most hunter-gatherers whether past or present. Fats have a higher caloric value than
protein and carbohydrates and in a community where there is dietary stress the heavy
exploitation of fat resources may be the only means of survival.
A reliable source of animal fat is stored in the bones, as even when an animal
is suffering from dietary stress and the meat is very lean, there is a store of fat
available within the bones in the form of marrow (in the bone cavities) and grease
(within the bone structure itself). This thesis posits that is it possible to determine subsistence
stress in the archaeological record by examining the degree of fragmentation of
freshly fractured animal bones for the extraction of bone grease.
If prehistoric hunter-gatherers are foraging optimally, it should be visible in
the archaeological record. In the processing of faunal remains for bone grease, more
x
calories are expended than extracted which is not optimal. It is expected that during
times of environmental stress when prey encounter rates are lower, prehistoric huntergatherers
would more intensively process each carcass.
Using the highly fragmented faunal assemblage from the archaeological site
CA-Teh-984 as a case study, I compare the fracture freshness and size of bone fragments
between two units: Unit 1, which dates during the Medieval Climatic Anomaly;
and unit 17 which post-dates the droughts.
Advisors/Committee Members: Bayham, Frank E (advisor).

Collins, G. E. (2011). Bone Fragmentation as an Indicator of Subsistence Stress in the North Coast Ranges of California
. (Thesis). California State University – Chico. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10211.4/261

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):

Collins, Gregory E. “Bone Fragmentation as an Indicator of Subsistence Stress in the North Coast Ranges of California
.” 2011. Thesis, California State University – Chico. Accessed March 19, 2018.
http://hdl.handle.net/10211.4/261.

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Collins GE. Bone Fragmentation as an Indicator of Subsistence Stress in the North Coast Ranges of California
. [Internet] [Thesis]. California State University – Chico; 2011. [cited 2018 Mar 19].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10211.4/261.

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Council of Science Editors:

Collins GE. Bone Fragmentation as an Indicator of Subsistence Stress in the North Coast Ranges of California
. [Thesis]. California State University – Chico; 2011. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10211.4/261

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

▼ ABSTRACT
MULTIPLE WAYS OF SEEING ONE PLACE: ARCHAEOLOGICAL
AND CULTURAL LANDSCAPES OF THE SUTTER BUTTES,
CALIFORNIA
by
Melinda Button
Master of Arts in Anthropology
California State University, Chico
Fall 2009
Application of a theoretical framework of landscape studies demonstrates
that archaeological data, as well as intangible data, such as stories, oral histories, and
ethnohistorcal information are equally essential to understanding past uses of the Sutter
Buttes in the Sacramento Valley of California. Currently the archaeological record does
not reflect the ceremonial significance that the landform played in mythology, story
telling and the spiritual lives of many Native Americans. Likewise, interpretations
based solely only on intangible data does not emphasize the Sutter Buttes as a place of
hunting and gathering. The cultural landscape framework allows for the incorporation
of both sources of data to contribute to a multi-faceted interpretation. From this
approach it is evident that the Sutter Buttes were a significant place containing both
natural and
spiritual resources. Activities associated with the procurement of these resources
becomes apparent through the multidisciplinary approach provided by landscape theory.
Advisors/Committee Members: Martinez, Antoinette M (advisor).

► AN OSTEOLOGICAL AND MORTUARY ANALYSIS OF THE INSANE ASYLUM OF CALIFORNIA CEMETERY, 1851-1854 by Erika Collins Master of Arts in Anthropology California State University, Chico…
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▼ AN OSTEOLOGICAL AND MORTUARY ANALYSIS OF THE INSANE
ASYLUM OF CALIFORNIA CEMETERY, 1851-1854
by
Erika Collins
Master of Arts in Anthropology
California State University, Chico
Fall 2009
This thesis presents research conducted on 42 burials excavated in 2007
from the Insane Asylum of California cemetery, located in Stockton, California. These
burials represent the first cemetery of the asylum, in use from 1851 until 1854. The research
goals of this project incorporated both an osteological analysis and an analysis of
the mortuary patterns observed at this cemetery. It was hypothesized that the mortuary
patterns afforded to the individuals buried at this cemetery would follow the stylistic
trends of the era, while demonstrating the limited means of the asylum. With regard to
the skeletal remains, it was hypothesized that the osteological data would reveal a population
with generally poor health, a high rate of violence, and a predominantly male
demographic profile. Both the osteological and mortuary data were methodically compared
to a selection of two historic California cemetery excavations; one of the Golden
Gate Cemetery and one of the Sacramento County Hospital cemetery. The mortuary
data was further compared to an almshouse cemetery excavation from Massachusetts.
With regard to the osteological findings, the results of this research revealed that these
individuals did represent a predominantly male population and endured generally poor
health. They did not however, reveal a higher than average incidence of trauma or violence.
For mortuary patterns, the cemetery did not follow expected stylistic trends of the
era. Additionally, the burial practices afforded to these individuals were very minimal.
This research sheds new light on burial practices afforded to marginalized populations
during Gold Rush era California.
Advisors/Committee Members: Murad, Turhon A (advisor).

▼ ABSTRACT
CULTURAL TRANSMISSION, STYLE AND CONTINUOUS
VARIATION AMONG NORTH CENTRAL
SIERRA NEVADA PROJECTILE POINTS
by
Jesse Krautkramer
Master of Arts in Anthropology
California State University, Chico
Fall 2009
Archaeologists working in the Sierra Nevada have long held out hope that a strong projectile point typology might be the Rosetta Stone for understanding Sierran prehistory. This hope has often led to the use of typologies that have not been tested against empirical evidence. Chronological studies in the north central Sierra Nevada have been hampered by poor organic preservation and a scarcity of stratified sites. Morphological analysis of projectile points and cultural transmission theory offer an alternative method for understanding Sierran prehistory. Changes in the form of material culture over time and space are directly linked to changes in the context of cultural transmission. This implies change in the general social context. Although well defined, dated contexts are rare in the north central Sierra Nevada, the body of morphological
projectile point data is large. The analysis presented in this thesis uses continuous morphological variation in a sample of 673 projectile points from 30 sites both east and west of the Sierra crest to examine style in north central Sierra Nevada prehistory. Distinct trends in univariate and multivariate variation are compared to archaeological contexts associated with C14 dates and obsidian hydration readings. Theories of style and cultural transmission facilitate interpretation of these patterns and provide insight into social changes and longstanding traditions within Sierra Nevada prehistory.
Advisors/Committee Members: Bayham, Frank E (advisor).

▼ ABSTRACT
FAUNAL REMAINS AS MARKERS OF ETHNIC IDENTITY:
THE PHILADELPHIA HOUSE AS A CASE STUDY OF
GERMAN-AMERICAN ETHNICITY
by
?? Jennifer Marie Mu??oz 2011
Master of Arts in Anthropology
California State University, Chico
Fall 2011
For the last three decades, zooarchaeologists have been fairly successful in
utilizing the faunal remains from historical archaeological sites to provide insights into
the socio-economic status and ethnicity of those groups of people who generated each
faunal assemblage. Most zooarchaeological studies on ethnicity have focused on those
groups of people considered to have minority status, with little attention paid to those
thought to be part of the mainstream majority. This study utilizes the faunal assemblage
from a late 19th century historical site from Sacramento, California known as the
Philadelphia House to expand upon the available literature on socio-economic status
and ethnicity.
The Philadelphia House, which for most of its existence was operated by and
catered to German immigrants, provides a wonderful opportunity to examine
anthropological and zooarchaeological perspectives on an ethnic group long treated as a
mainstream, majority group, and thus not likely to be easily recognizable in the
archaeological record. The German immigrants who settled in early Sacramento
however, created their own neighborhoods and businesses, and established institutions
such as the Turn Verein through which they could maintain traditional beliefs and
customs. It was thus hypothesized that the faunal assemblage from the Philadelphia
House would reveal patterns that could be attributed to socio-economic status as well as
German-American food preferences.
Using a conjunctive approach that included an analysis of anthropological
perspectives on immigrant ethnicity combined with the history of German immigration
into California, a traditional zooarchaeological analysis of species and meat cut
frequencies as compared to similar sites in Sacramento, and a cookbook analysis of
traditional German cuisine, it was found that faunal specimens could indeed by used as
indicators of German-American ethnicity. The results revealed that in terms of beef
cuts, the Philadelphia House assemblage was significantly different from the
Sacramento City Jail site, Hannan???s Saloon, Klebitz and Green???s Saloon, and the
Golden Eagle Hotel. The meat cuts with the highest frequencies identified for beef,
pork, chicken, and rabbit corresponded well to the frequencies of these cuts as they
appeared in German cookbooks. One unanticipated discovery was a relatively high
frequency of sheep or goat specimens, which may be a reflection of dietary preferences,
socio-economic status, or a possible business relationship with German immigrant
sheep ranchers within the Sacramento area.
Advisors/Committee Members: Martinez, Antoinette (advisor).

Munoz, J. M. (2012). Faunal Remains as Markers of Ethnic Identity: The Philadelphia House as a Case Study of German-American Ethnicity
. (Thesis). California State University – Chico. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10211.4/394

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):

Munoz, Jennifer Marie. “Faunal Remains as Markers of Ethnic Identity: The Philadelphia House as a Case Study of German-American Ethnicity
.” 2012. Thesis, California State University – Chico. Accessed March 19, 2018.
http://hdl.handle.net/10211.4/394.

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Council of Science Editors:

Munoz JM. Faunal Remains as Markers of Ethnic Identity: The Philadelphia House as a Case Study of German-American Ethnicity
. [Thesis]. California State University – Chico; 2012. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10211.4/394

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

▼ ABSTRACT
DENTAL PATHOLOGY DISTRIBUTION AND SEX RATIOS IN
WINDMILLER POPULATIONS FROM CENTRAL
CALIFORNIA
by
Katharine E. Kolpan
Master of Arts in Anthropology
California State University, Chico
Spring 2009
This thesis focuses on how dental pathologies may be used to make inferences about the subsistence patterns of a prehistoric hunter-gatherer population. Dental caries and dental attrition are often used as markers to indicate subsistence changes, such as the transition from foraging to agriculture. However, pathological changes to teeth may also be used to indicate differences in subsistence and dietary patterns among non-agricultural populations. Previous investigations in California and beyond have suggested that females display higher rates of dental caries than their male counterparts. Various lines of evidence have been used to explain the disparity in dental caries prevalence between men and women. Some have argued that it may be, in part, physiological, with female hormone production decreasing salivary flow and increasing the risk of developing dental caries. Others have suggested it is due to female's position as gatherers allowing them greater access to plant resources, which they may have consumed in larger quantities, both at meal times and in between meals. In this study, I analyze rates of dental caries among males and females from archaeological sites associated with Windmiller skeletal assemblages (ca. 4500-2500 B.P.) in California's Central Valley to test whether females exhibit statistically higher proportions of dental caries than males.
I analyzed 138 and 111 individuals from the Windmiller (CA-SAC-107) and Phelps (CA-SJO-56) Mounds, respectively. The final sample included 11 individuals from the Windmiller Mound and 45 individuals from the Phelps Mound. These data were compared to 93 individuals from two previously analyzed Windmiller sites, the Blossom Mound (CA-SJO-68) and the McGillivray1 Mound (CA-SJO-142). While females exhibited a higher proportion of dental caries at all four sites, the difference was significant only in the Phelps and Blossom Mound samples. However, when caries rates for all four sites were combined females exhibited significantly more caries than males. While some of this disparity is likely due to physiological differences, I argue that the majority of the differences between the sexes in terms of dental caries may be due to female's roles as gatherers and their differential access to plant resources.
Advisors/Committee Members: Bartelink, Eric J (advisor).

▼ ABSTRACT
TAPHONOMIC SIGNATURES OF ANIMAL SCAVENGING IN
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA: A FORENSIC
ANTHROPOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
by
Lisa N. Bright
Master of Arts in Anthropology
California State University, Chico
Spring 2011
Taphonomy is an important component of forensic anthropology,
archaeology, bioarchaeology and paleoanthropology. The ability to understand the
factors that result in the breakdown of organic remains in multiple contexts is a
necessary component of anthropological research. Forensic taphonomic research is
invaluable for understanding postmortem events that affect human remains in
medicolegal contexts.
This thesis analyzes scavenging damage on forensic cases curated by the
California State University, Chico Human Identification Laboratory (CSUC-HIL) and
involves actualistic experiments, using five pigs (Sus scrofa) to better understand
scavenger behavior and modification of human remains in northern California. The
xvii
human remains cases (n = 22) were inventoried and scavenger modification and tooth
impact mark diameter was documented. The pig remains were collected and examined
in the same manner as the CSUC-HIL forensic sample.
Results indicate that there is significant variation in the distribution of
scavenging damage in the CSUC-HIL forensic sample. Distal appendicular elements
were less intensively scavenged than more proximal segments and areas with the
greatest damage coincide with large fat deposits. The tooth impact mark data indicated
that it is not possible to assign the damage to a specific species but rather to a size class
of large or small carnivore. Actualistic experiments indicated that there is a specific
order in which scavengers access carrion, with damage concentrated in areas with the
largest amount of fat. Future scavenging research is necessary to gain an understanding
of scavenger modification of human remains and should include natural environmental
settings.
Advisors/Committee Members: Bartelink, Eric J (advisor).

► ABSTRACT THE CROW CREEK MASSACRE: THE ROLE OF SEX IN NATIVE AMERICAN SCALPING PRACTICES by Ashley Kendell Master of Arts in Anthropology California State University,…
(more)

▼ ABSTRACT
THE CROW CREEK MASSACRE: THE ROLE OF SEX IN NATIVE
AMERICAN SCALPING PRACTICES
by
Ashley Kendell
Master of Arts in Anthropology
California State University, Chico
Spring 2011
Archaeological evidence of warfare on the Great Plains precedes the initial
date of European contact by several hundred years. Evidence of warfare in the archaeological
record includes skeletal indications of violent injury, mass graves, fortification
structures, and village abandonment. Among these indicators of warfare, scalping is a
reliable and easily recognizable expression of intergroup conflict. Scalping is represented
by a characteristic pattern of cut marks in the archaeological record, and is therefore
an accurate skeletal indicator of violence.
Previous research reports that there is not a significant relationship between
a victim???s age and sex and whether or not they became a scalping victim. The primary
objective of this study is to present a thorough assessment of different treatment between
the sexes, as well as different treatment among adult age groups at the Crow
Creek Site. A secondary goal of this study is to determine whether or not a significant
relationship exists between sex, age and burial placement in the human bone bed at the
Crow Creek Site. Finally, this study attempts to present a preliminary assessment of the
role of gender in Native American scalping practices.
This skeletal sample is composed of massacre victims recovered from the
human bone bed at the Crow Creek Site in Buffalo County, South Dakota. All skeletal
material used in this study originates from the Initial Coalescent Component occupation
that terminated at the time of the massacre, roughly 1325 A.D. Skeletal material from
the Crow Creek Site was repatriated in May 1979. Because skeletal material was previously
repatriated, all data used in this study are drawn from the age and sex assessments
recorded by Mark Swegle in 1979 and the scalping mutilation data collected by an
anonymous investigator at the University of South Dakota that same year. In total, a
sample of 77 aged and sexed crania is used in this study.
The major findings can be summarized. Statistically significant relationships
exist between the total number of cuts on male and female crania, and age and breadth
of the frontal cuts. Factorial ANOVA results indicate the interaction between age and
sex by frontal cut breadth is significant, and from this test result we conclude that sex
differences in the breadth of cuts on the frontal are affected by the age of the victim.
Regression and correlation are performed on the frontal cut breadths to clarify the relationship
between sex and age. There is a moderate negative relationship between frontal
cut breadth and age in males, and a non-significant relationship between frontal cut
breadth and age in females. Finally, there is not a significant relationship between the
location of the victim in the bone bed and the victim???s age and sex, suggesting that individuals
were placed in the…
Advisors/Committee Members: Willey, P (advisor).

► ABSTRACT PERSPECTIVES ON HEALTH RISKS TO CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS IN METHAMPHETAMINE HOMES by Kathleen Marie Moran Master of Arts in Anthropology California State University, Chico…
(more)

▼ ABSTRACT
PERSPECTIVES ON HEALTH RISKS TO CHILDREN AND
ADOLESCENTS IN METHAMPHETAMINE HOMES
by
Kathleen Marie Moran
Master of Arts in Anthropology
California State University, Chico
Spring 2011
California???s North State has been hit particularly hard by the meth epidemic.
This thesis explores how methamphetamine (meth) production and use have evolved in
the United States, and how that has impacted the health, wellbeing, and economic status
of the population. It also details an emerging collaborative multidisciplinary approach
involving aspects of treatment, prevention, and law enforcement programs targeting
meth abuse. Special attention is paid to programs within the collaboration designed to
mitigate the health risks to children and adolescents living in methamphetamine homes.
Anthropology has a long history of studying drug use. However, in ten pages of a 2002
editorial reflection, covering 35 years in the drug field, Michael Agar does not mention
methamphetamine at all. In fact, beyond needle sharing and HIV/AIDS and discussions
about using an agent-based model to understand drug epidemics in general,anthropology seems particularly quiet on meth addicts in the United States. They seem
even quieter when it comes to the children of meth addicts. The focus is on risk
reduction for addicts, not the children of addicts. While there is broad debate on the use
of needle exchange programs and methadone use in treatment programs, there is no real
debate in anthropology on how the children of meth addicts, raised in a sub-culture of
violence and paranoia, will grow up and help shape the society we live in. This thesis
was written to help fill the research gap involving children and adolescents in meth
environments.
Advisors/Committee Members: Loker, William M (advisor).

► ABSTRACT THE USE OF MUSCULOSKELETAL STRESS MARKERS IN DETERMINING THE EFFECTS OF SUBSISTENCE CHANGE ON THE INHABITANTS OF THE NAN RANCH RUIN by Kendall M.…
(more)

▼ ABSTRACT
THE USE OF MUSCULOSKELETAL STRESS MARKERS IN
DETERMINING THE EFFECTS OF SUBSISTENCE
CHANGE ON THE INHABITANTS OF THE
NAN RANCH RUIN
by
Kendall M. McGowan
Master of Arts in Anthropology
California State University, Chico
Spring 2009
This research illustrates the use of Musculoskeletal Stress Markers (MSM) in answering questions about the lives of past people. Musculoskeletal Stress Markers are the areas of muscle attachment on bone that increase in robusticity and stress indicators concurrently with mechanical demands on bone. The MSM were scored using established methodology to answer two key research questions about the Mimbres people who inhabited the NAN Ranch Ruin in southwestern New Mexico between A.D. 650 and A.D. 1140. This culture was known to have undergone subsistence change based on archaeological evidence, so the first research questions centered on the ability of MSM studies to highlight physical differences as the Mimbres increased their reliance on agriculture. In addition, it can be determined through several lines of archaeological
viii
evidence that gender differentiation existed in the Mimbres culture. Therefore this research applied MSM to the question of gender to determine if patterns could be located. The research presented here determined that MSM studies can reveal habitual activity patterns, provided that all biasing factors such as age and sex are accounted for. It was most useful in studying habitual activity differences in the sexes as they related to gendered division of labor. Temporal comparisons between pithouse and pueblo era individuals were not as clear. It is believed that samples with more individuals available for study will find more even fruitful results using MSM methodology.
Advisors/Committee Members: Bartelink, Eric J (advisor).

McGowan, K. M. (2010). The Use of Musculoskeletal Stress Markers in Determining the Effects of Subsistence Change on the Inhabitants of the Nan Ranch Ruin
. (Thesis). California State University – Chico. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10211.4/144

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):

McGowan, Kendall M. “The Use of Musculoskeletal Stress Markers in Determining the Effects of Subsistence Change on the Inhabitants of the Nan Ranch Ruin
.” 2010. Thesis, California State University – Chico. Accessed March 19, 2018.
http://hdl.handle.net/10211.4/144.

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

MLA Handbook (7th Edition):

McGowan, Kendall M. “The Use of Musculoskeletal Stress Markers in Determining the Effects of Subsistence Change on the Inhabitants of the Nan Ranch Ruin
.” 2010. Web. 19 Mar 2018.

Vancouver:

McGowan KM. The Use of Musculoskeletal Stress Markers in Determining the Effects of Subsistence Change on the Inhabitants of the Nan Ranch Ruin
. [Internet] [Thesis]. California State University – Chico; 2010. [cited 2018 Mar 19].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10211.4/144.

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Council of Science Editors:

McGowan KM. The Use of Musculoskeletal Stress Markers in Determining the Effects of Subsistence Change on the Inhabitants of the Nan Ranch Ruin
. [Thesis]. California State University – Chico; 2010. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10211.4/144

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

▼ ABSTRACT
ZOOARCHAEOLOGY AND HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF
HISTORIC SHASTA COUNTY HOSPITAL 1855-1900:
A CASE STUDY
by
?? Rhea Maricar Sanchez 2009
Master of Arts in Anthropology
California State University, Chico
Spring 2009
The use of faunal analysis from historic archaeological sites for determining
status and economics has successfully contributed to a growing body of anthropological
literature concerning socioeconomic factors in the 19th century. This study joins other
historic studies in the analysis of faunal remains for indicators of socioeconomic status.
Contemporary hospitals are notorious for serving dreadful food. Given that this was one
of the very first public health care institutions in the United States, I hypothesized that
inexpensive, low-ranking beef cuts would dominate the assemblage, if beef was present
at all. I expected that if there was any change over time, it would be in decreasing of
meat quantities represented in each level simultaneously with an increase in lowerranked
cuts.
xiv
Shasta Community College, overseen by Dr. Eric Ritter, conducted excavations
in the spring semesters of 2005 and 2006, respectively, of historic Shasta County
Hospital site CA-SHA-1234H, which was located in old Shasta. This study focuses on
the beef remains from Shasta County Hospital and on historic documentation of beef
expenditures from the Board of Supervisors office in Redding to interpret social status
and economic conditions for the years of 1855, when the hospital was founded and
opened, to 1900, when the hospital closed and relocated to Redding.
The results contradicted the original hypothesis. Rather than serving the
lowest quality beef portions, the meats most closely resemble those which are served to
paying patrons at saloons. Additionally, the amount of money spent on beef increased
over time despite the economic demise of the city of Shasta. It is concluded that Shasta
County Hospital served beef exceeding expectations and that the beef expenditures do
not parallel the city???s economic decline because Shasta County prospered as a result of
the cumulative health of its constituent cities.
Advisors/Committee Members: Bayham, Frank E (advisor).

▼ ABSTRACT
???THE BITTER, FREEZING HOURS OF NIGHT???: AN INVESTIGATION
OF COLD INJURY SUSCEPTIBILITY IN THE POST-CIVIL WAR
SEVENTH CAVALRY
by
Katie Cohan
Master of Arts in Anthropology
California State University, Chico
Spring 2011
The Cold Injury Hypothesis suggests that individuals with dark skin pigmentation
are more susceptible to cold injuries, such as frostbite and congelatio, than individuals
with lighter skin pigmentation. Traditionally, studies have considered the differences
in cold injury severity and frequency between African-Americans and other
groups. An influential study suggests that there are not only differences in cold injury
frequency between racial groups, but even different levels of skin pigmentation (e.g.,
light, intermediate, and dark) show varied reactions to the cold. Thus, racial groups with
the darkest skin pigmentation levels are more vulnerable to cold injuries.
This thesis expands that idea, examining records of men from the post-Civil
War Seventh Cavalry who experienced cold injuries (frostbite, most commonly) from
1866 through 1883. The Enlistment Records of these troopers are analyzed to determine
if the men with darker skin complexions suffer more severe and more frequent cold injuries
than men with lighter complexions. All records are from the National Archives
and Records Administration in Washington, D.C. The relationships between additional
extrinsic and intrinsic variables and cold injuries are studied, including trooper rank at
the time of discharge, nature of discharge, anatomical and geographical locations of
cold injury, time of year, climatic events, activity being performed during the time of
cold injury, clothing and equipment use, nativity, age at the time of enlistment, and stature.
The relationships between complexion and those variables are calculated using
frequency tables, Chi-square tests, and Independent Samples T-Tests. Historical accounts
and data are also considered. The relationship between skin complexion and cold
injury frequency is not significant. However, a relationship is noted between cold injuries
and geographical location, time of year, and trooper stature. The lowest-ranking
men might be more susceptible to injury compared to men in higher ranks. Many cold
injuries are recorded on the Northern Plains, most at Fort Abraham Lincoln in present day
North Dakota. The majority of cold injuries occur during the winter months, especially
December and January. Cold-injured troopers are significantly taller than noncold
injured men.
Advisors/Committee Members: Willey, P (advisor).

Cohan, K. (2011). "The Bitter, Freezing Hours of Night": An Investigation of Cold Injury Susceptibility in the Post-Civil War Seventh Cavalry
. (Thesis). California State University – Chico. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10211.4/287

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Council of Science Editors:

Cohan K. "The Bitter, Freezing Hours of Night": An Investigation of Cold Injury Susceptibility in the Post-Civil War Seventh Cavalry
. [Thesis]. California State University – Chico; 2011. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10211.4/287

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

▼ ABSTRACT
UNCERTAINTY IN SKELETAL AGING: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY
AND TEST OF SKELETAL AGING METHODS AT THE JOINT
POW/MIA ACCOUNTING COMMAND CENTRAL
IDENTIFICATION LABORATORY
by
Carrie Ann Brown
Master of Arts in Anthropology
California State University, Chico
Spring 2009
Adult skeletal age estimation is an important facet of forensic anthropology,
paleodemography, and bioarchaeology. Estimating the age-at-death of adults is problematic because of human variability in the aging process. Analysis of the error associated with skeletal age estimation methods is necessary so that the performance of these methods is not overestimated and so that the uncertainty in these skeletal techniques can be quantified and better understood.
The purpose of this thesis is to analyze and describe the error associated with skeletal age estimation methods used at the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command Central Identification Laboratory (JPAC/CIL) from 1972 to 31 July 2008. There
Were six general categories of age estimation methods used: epiphyseal fusion, suture closure, dental formation and eruption, and morphological changes in the pubic symphysis, auricular surface, and sternal rib end. The total identified known age-at-death sample was 979 individuals, although method sub-samples were much smaller. Additional interobserver error research was conducted with three methods that were problematic for the JPAC/CIL sample.
Results indicate that adult age estimation methods perform well for the JPAC/CIL identified known age-at-death sample, most likely because of the young age composition of this sample. Bias, inaccuracy, and scaled error index (SEI) values are low for most methods and phases or stages of methods. Correlation between estimated and known age-at-death is statistically significant for maxillary suture closure, pubic symphysis, auricular surface, and sternal rib end methods. The auricular surface is the poorest age indicator of those examined in the JPAC/CIL sample. It is also recommended that fusion of the sacral segments no longer be used for age estimation since this method had a correct classification rate of only 32.1%. Future research in adult skeletal age estimation and refinement of existing techniques should include estimation of measurement uncertainty.
Advisors/Committee Members: Bartelink, Eric J (advisor).

► ABSTRACT ERASING THE EVIDENCE: THE IMPACT OF FIRE ON THE METRIC AND MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CUT MARKS by Ashley Hutchinson Master of Arts in Anthropology…
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▼ ABSTRACT
ERASING THE EVIDENCE: THE IMPACT OF FIRE ON THE METRIC
AND MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CUT MARKS
by
Ashley Hutchinson
Master of Arts in Anthropology
California State University, Chico
Fall 2010
The aim of this study is to provide a preliminary framework for understanding
how fire affects the survivorship of cut marks on bone. This study analyzed the survivorship
of cut marks, striations, and metric changes of kerf size associated with burning.
There was an expectation that most cut marks would survive the fire, although
changes were expected such as that the previous damage to bone would lead to extensive
fracturing in the areas of the preexisting trauma.
An understanding of how fire affects cut marks on bone is important when
attempting to determine a particular class of tool based on cut mark features. Because
the use of burning to hinder identification and destroy evidence are common challenges
faced by forensic scientists, understanding that fire may change trauma characteristics is
important when attempting to draw conclusions about a suspect weapon. With kerf
xi
width being a criterion for assessing tool class, forensic investigators need to understand
that if bone is burned, this method may not be able to be used to eliminate suspect
weapons.
For the purpose of this study cut marks were created on pig (Sus scrofa)
femora using a cleaver, hand saw, scalpel, and steak knife. From these cut marks, casts
were made and then analyzed using a digital microscope. The total number of cut marks
present on each bone was noted, and widths were taken at three intervals along the
length of each cut mark. Once casted, the pig femora were burned in a controlled building
fire for approximately 45 minutes with the temperature ranging from 277.3??C-
1,096??C. The surviving cut marks were casted again.
The results from this study were quite variable between the different tools.
With only 47.2 percent of the cut marks surviving the fire, the bone with cut marks created
by the cleaver demonstrated extensive fracturing. Survivorship was much higher
for the cut marks for the scalpel (68.8%), steak knife (88.6%), and hand saw (72.5%).
Paired t-tests were conducted to determine the significance of width changes among the
different tools. The results were drawn from the second width measurement, taken at
the approximate center of each kerf. Paired t-tests yielded results that indicated that
only the cleaver had non-significant changes in width. Both the scalpel and the saw
showed a significant decrease in width. Percentages were also determined for the survivorship
of striations from the cleaver, saw, and steak knife. The saw had the highest
survivorship (81%), followed by the steak knife (43.8%) and the cleaver (0%). The
scalpel did not demonstrate striation characteristics.
xii
These results suggest that burning does have a significant effect on cut
marks on bone. Bone with perimortem trauma is prone to extensive fracturing due to
fire exposure, which may lead to a loss of…
Advisors/Committee Members: Murad, Turhon A (advisor).

Hutchinson, A. (2011). Erasing the Evidence: The Impact of Fire on the Metric and Morphological Characteristics of Cut Marks
. (Thesis). California State University – Chico. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10211.4/269

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):

Hutchinson, Ashley. “Erasing the Evidence: The Impact of Fire on the Metric and Morphological Characteristics of Cut Marks
.” 2011. Thesis, California State University – Chico. Accessed March 19, 2018.
http://hdl.handle.net/10211.4/269.

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Council of Science Editors:

Hutchinson A. Erasing the Evidence: The Impact of Fire on the Metric and Morphological Characteristics of Cut Marks
. [Thesis]. California State University – Chico; 2011. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10211.4/269

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

▼ ABSTRACT
DAILY BREAD: PREHISTORIC COOKING FEATURES IN THE
NORTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY, CALIFORNIA
by
Kristina M. Crawford
Master of Arts in Anthropology
California State University, Chico
Spring 2011
The act of cooking food leaves evidence in the archaeological record in the
form of features and fire-affected rock. Cooking features and fire-affected rock have
had little research and interpretation applied to them beyond basic descriptions, but they
provide an important line of evidence to understand human behavior and culture. This
study compiles archaeological and ethnographic evidence of cooking features of the
northern Sacramento Valley. The compiled data is then used to test a model of expected
temporal patterns of cooking features based on the idea that an increase in the
complexity and number of cooking features and an increase in the sum total of fireaffected
rock in the archaeological record of a region may reflect resource and
technological intensification due to an increase in population. The results of the study
indicate there is an apparent increase in cooking features and total fire-affected rock in
archaeological sites through time in the northern Sacramento Valley.
Advisors/Committee Members: Martinez, Antoinette M (advisor).

▼ ABSTRACT
A GEOSPATIAL ANALYSIS OF PREHISTORIC HUNTING BLINDS
AND FORAGER GROUP SIZE AT COWHEAD SLOUGH,
MODOC COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
by
?? Kevin D. Dalton 2011
Master of Arts in Anthropology
California State University, Chico
Spring 2011
Understanding forager social complexity is critical to explaining resource
acquisition systems. This thesis will use data from an extensive survey in northeastern
California to discuss the geographic placement of prehistoric hunting blinds. Employing
a geographic information system, a hierarchical cluster analysis, and nearest neighbor
analysis, this study will seek to explain how hunting landscapes are shaped by forager
group size and hunting technology. Results suggest that the observed patterning in the
spatial positioning of hunting blinds is consistent with expectations derived from foraging
theory, and that the spatial placement of hunting features is likely influenced by the
performance characteristics of the bow and arrow.
Advisors/Committee Members: Bayham, Frank E (advisor).

▼ ABSTRACT
RAISED WALLS AND BROKEN BONES: AN ANALYSIS OF DEFENSIVE
ARCHITECTURE AND VIOLENT SKELETAL TRAUMA IN LATE
PREHISTORIC EASTERN NORTH AMERICA
by
Lance L. Blanchard
Master of Arts in Anthropology
California State University, Chico
Spring 2011
While the causes, practices, and effects of prehistoric warfare have long
been speculated on by archaeologists in eastern North America, only recently has our
understanding of prehistoric violence been informed by a close examination of the evidence.
An intensification of bioarchaeological research on violent conflict has taken
place in the last two decades, while studies relating to defensive architecture, weapons,
and iconography remain rare. This thesis represents an initial attempt to evaluate the
relationship between two of these lines of evidence, defensive architecture and violent
skeletal trauma. The results of this thesis also call into question many of the assumptions
that have driven previous interpretations of prehistoric warfare in eastern North
America.
Data on defensive architecture and violent skeletal trauma were compiled
and reassessed from previously published sources spanning the last century of archaeological
research in the Central and Lower Mississippi Valleys and the eastern Gulf
Coastal Plain. A total of 56 sites containing 8,586 individuals dating to either the Late
Woodland (A.D. 500-1000) or Mississippian (A.D. 1000-1500) periods were included
in this research. Frequencies of violent skeletal trauma were compared between a number
of variables relating to defensive architecture presence, chronology, geographical
location, site size, age and sex groups, and the availability of complete skeletal preservation
data.
A significant decrease in the overall frequency of violent skeletal trauma
was observed through time, questioning the assumption that the widespread construction
of defensive architecture across eastern North America at the onset of the Mississippian
period signaled an intensification of warfare. The prevalence of violent skeletal
trauma also decreased significantly with the presence of palisades, ditches, and platform
mounds. However, a similar pattern in the frequencies of the types of violent skeletal
trauma was observed between sites with and without defensive architecture, suggesting
that new warfare strategies were not required once sites were protected by defensive
architecture. This result, combined with the patterns of trauma observed between age
and sex groups suggests that small-scale raiding against small isolated work parties or
lone individuals was the primary strategy employed in Late Woodland and Mississippian
warfare. Finally, the high variability in the results seen between sub-regions indicates a need for further research to address the multitude of social, political, and environmental
factors affecting the patterns of prehistoric violent conflict.
Advisors/Committee Members: Martinez, Antoinette M (advisor).

► The museum field in the United State welcomed a new paradigm in the late twentieth century. The relationship between museums and Native Americans has changed.…
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▼ The museum field in the United State welcomed a new paradigm in the late twentieth century. The relationship between museums and Native Americans has changed. Until a few decades ago, Native Americans had been exhibited as primitive groups and as dying cultures. However, today their voices are heard and contribute to museum exhibits and activities. Additionally, Native Americans have established their own indigenous museums/culture centers for their own self-representation and cultural preservation.
Likewise, Japanese museums are also integrating this paradigm shift into their practices and relationship with the Ainu, an indigenous group of Japan. The Ainu was dominated by the Japanese in the early nineteenth century. Still today, they suffer from discrimination, are treated as inferior, and face the loss of their traditional culture. Many museums also exhibit Ainu culture as a relic of the past. However, Ainu have gradually risen up, advocating for their ethnic dignity. As the sole indigenous museum in Japan, The Ainu Museum offers numerous educational programs and public events, exhibits with docent tours, a demonstration of traditional dance and song, and research and projects with other institutions. Through these activities, the Museum provides its community members with opportunities to represent their own identity, and to not only preserve but to also revitalize Ainu culture. Although there is still room for improvement, The Ainu Museum is definitely a dynamic institution that serves the Ainu community.
Advisors/Committee Members: Schaefer, Stacy B (advisor).

► This study attempts to link environmental change and increases in violence in the Santa Barbara Channel in the Late Middle period through changes in technology.…
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▼ This study attempts to link environmental change and increases in violence in
the Santa Barbara Channel in the Late Middle period through changes in technology. This
study combines models of technological investment with studies of artifact
standardization to determine if the prehistoric Chumash used violence as an adaptive
response. This thesis expands on the theories of technological investment, hypothesizing
that an investment in the technologies used in violence (termed the ???technology of
violence???) was used as a means of cultural adaptation. From the collection of the Santa
Barbara Museum of Natural History, 1082 artifacts were measured (projectiles n=779,
spears n=94, pestles n=209) from 44 Santa Barbara Channel sites (mainland n=29, Santa
Cruz Island n=6, Santa Rosa Island n=9) to test the hypotheses. Projectiles points, spears, and pestles were analyzed to determine if the tools used in violence in general, and during
times of increased violence, showed reduced variation through time. Changes in artifact
variability were assessed using the Coefficient of Variation (CV), which was used to
compare the degree of variation in tools used in violence to those unrelated to violence
across geography, association, and time. Geographic comparisons were made between
islands and the mainland. The associations compared between the artifacts were based on
their context in the archaeological record and were defined as: non-associated, burial
associated, cemetery associated, projectiles in good association to have originated from
soft tissue injury (PIGA), and embedded (projectiles physically embedded in human
remains). The time periods compared in this study was the Late Early Period to the Late
Period (6630 BC- AD 1804). It was hypothesized that artifacts used in violence would
have a lower CV% in general, and a lower CV% during times of increased violence,
indicating specialization.
This study found that Vandenberg Contracting Stem points, Malaga Cove
points, and spears are technologies of violence as these artifacts were found embedded in
human remains. Malaga Cove points demonstrated the best-supported evidence of an
investment in violence, showing a reduction in variation in points used in violence, and a
reduction in time periods of increased violence. The change in variation observed in
Vandenberg Contracting Stem points, Canalino Triangular points, and spears is
inconclusive in regards to an investment in violence. The pestle sample shows possible
evidence as a technology of violence, but not in a manner hypothesized.
Advisors/Committee Members: Bayham, Frank (advisor).